An image made available by NASA shows Mars photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope on the planet's closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years. (Aug. 26, 2003) Photo Credit: AP

Russia should set up a permanent moon base as a launch-pad for space exploration, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said.

"Russian astronauts learned how to function in conditions of zero gravity, work in orbit and carry out necessary experiments there," Rogozin, who is in charge of industry, defense and the space sector, told state-run Vesti-FM radio today. "Why not set up a large base on the moon as a launch-pad for further leaps in science?" The Russian government is planning to spend 650 billion rubles ($20.5 billion) between 2012 and 2015 to develop the country's space program. Russia is talking to NASA and the European Space Agency about participating in two Mars expeditions in 2016 and 2018, the Russian space agency chief, Vladimir Popovkin, said in November.